Mishnah
Mishnah

Midrash for Middot 2:2

כָּל הַנִּכְנָסִין לְהַר הַבַּיִת נִכְנָסִין דֶּרֶךְ יָמִין וּמַקִּיפִין וְיוֹצְאִין דֶּרֶךְ שְׂמֹאל, חוּץ מִמִּי שֶׁאֵרְעוֹ דָבָר, שֶׁהוּא מַקִּיף לִשְׂמֹאל. מַה לְּךָ מַקִּיף לִשְׂמֹאל, שֶׁאֲנִי אָבֵל, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יְנַחֲמֶךָּ. שֶׁאֲנִי מְנֻדֶּה, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יִתֵּן בְּלִבָּם וִיקָרְבוּךָ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, עֲשִׂיתָן כְּאִלּוּ עָבְרוּ עָלָיו אֶת הַדִּין. אֶלָּא, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יִתֵּן בְּלִבְּךָ וְתִשְׁמַע לְדִבְרֵי חֲבֵרֶיךָ וִיקָרְבוּךָ:

All who would enter the temple mount entered toward the right, and would encircle it and exit through the left, aside for one to which something [unfavorable] has occurred, that he would encircle it towards the left [even when he entered]. [If he was asked] "Why are you encircling towards the left?" [If he answered] "Because I am a mourner, [they would respond] "He who rests in this house should comfort you". [If he answered] "Because I am excommunicated", [they would respond] "He who dwells in this house should put into their [the judges'] hearts and they will draw you near". These are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosi said to him [Rabbi Meir] "You have made as if they [the judges] have exceeded the law [in their excommunication] against him. Rather [they would say] "He who dwells in this house should put into your heart that you will listen to the words of your colleagues and they will draw you near".

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

Solomon saw that the observance of loving-kindness was great before the Holy One, blessed be He. When he built the Temple he erected two gates, one for the bridegrooms, and the other for the mourners and the excommunicated. On Sabbaths the Israelites went and sat between those two gates; and they knew that anyone who entered through the gate of the bridegrooms was a bridegroom, and they said to him, May He who dwells in this house cause thee to rejoice with sons and daughters. If one entered through the gate of the mourners with his upper lip covered, then they knew that he was a mourner, and they would say to him. May He who dwells || in this house comfort thee. If one entered through the gate of the mourners without having his upper lip covered, then they knew that he was excommunicated, and they would say to him, May He who dwells in this house put into thy heart (the desire) to listen to the words of thy associates, and may He put into the hearts of thy associates that they may draw thee near (to themselves), so that all Israel may discharge their duty by rendering the service of loving-kindness.
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